The Ones with Elliot
by laurenwrites
Summary: One-shot series from the world of my story "Chanel No. 5." / Non-sequitur. / Bade, and Elliot.
1. The One with the Chocolate Milkshakes

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**The One with the Chocolate Milkshakes**

_Elliot_

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"Elliot, I'm open!"

As soon as I see Trevor unguarded, I pass the ball to him and he catches it easily. As we all run down the court, he passes it back to me and I've got a pretty clear shot. "Go for it, Elliot!" The go-ahead from my couch prompts me to shoot the ball in what I'm pretty sure will be a good basket.

As soon as I'm in the air, the biggest guy on our team (and probably in the entire fifth grade) bumps me and suddenly I'm on the floor. I don't feel it at first, but I start to notice everyone in the gym—including all the guys on my team and my two coaches—rushing over to me.

My coach tells the assistant coach to call 911, and I think there's a lot of blood because I feel like my arm is sitting in a pile of liquid. "Elliot, we're calling the doctors," Coach Alterman promises me. "They're gonna come, okay? Can you move your arm?"

I try, and that's when I realize that something is very wrong. My arm screams in pain and I have to try really hard not to cry. "It hurts bad," I'm able to get out. "Really bad."

"Okay, buddy, the ambulance is on its way. They're close; it won't be long. Can you give me your dad's phone number?"

I shake my head, or at least I try to. "He won't answer. He's at work. Call my sister." I give him Jade's number (she made me memorize it as soon as I could talk), and Trevor and Leo help me sit up.

"I broke my arm too, once," Leo tells me. "Just try not to move it."

"Elliot," my coach says, temporarily taking my attention away from my stinging arm. "Your sister isn't answering. We've called a few times, and I left a message. Who else can we call?"

"Beck," I say immediately, following up with his number.

"Hello?" My coach speaks into the phone, and I know Beck had answered. "This is Mark Alterman, Elliot's coach...Yes, exactly...We called her, but...Ah, okay...Anyhow, were doing a scrimmage during practice today, and Elliot got hurt...He's okay, yeah, but he might have a broken arm...The EMTs are on their way to get him now, so if...Yep, that would be great...Okay, we'll see you at Memorial."

By the time he's hung up, the truck is here to get me and some paramedics help me onto a little bed and into the back of the ambulance. The assistant coach is staying with the rest of my team, and all the guys wish me luck as Coach Alterman and I head off to Memorial. "Your sister has some kind of rehearsal or something, so I guess she doesn't have her phone."

"Yeah," I say, wincing in pain as one of the doctors starts to wrap my arm. "I forgot about that. Is Beck meeting us there?"

"He's already on his way," Coach Alterman says with a smile. "You'll be okay. You're a tough kid, I've gotta say."

By the time we get to the emergency room, Beck is walking in to meet us. "Hey, El," he says, looking relieved to see me. "I bet this hurts pretty bad, huh?"

"Uh huh," I answer. "Thanks for coming."

"You know I wouldn't be anywhere else," he says, smiling and pushing some of my hair out of my forehead. "Jade is going to freak when she gets the messages after rehearsal. I texted her to meet us here, but I made sure she knew you were okay."

Before I can do anything but laugh, a guy in blue scrubs comes up to us and introduces himself as Dr. Johnson. Beck shakes the guy's hand and, when asked what his relationship to me is, tells the guy that he's my brother-in-law. Dr. Johnson doesn't seem to have any problem with this, and proceeds to ask for Beck's approval to take me in for an X-Ray.

"Of course," he answers.

"Can Beck be in the room with me while I get it?" I don't want to be a baby, but I also don't want to be alone when I have to get the test done.

"Sure thing," Dr. Johnson tells me. "Give us a few minutes to get the room and machine prepped, and I'll be back to get you shortly."

Beck thanks the guy and then sits on the edge of the hospital bed I'm laying on. "Are those painkillers kicking in yet?"

"Yeah, my arm feels really fuzzy. I'm kinda hungry; can we get dinner after this?"

He laughs and nods his head. "Definitely. I say we do In-N-Out so we can get chocolate milkshakes. Yes or yes?"

"Yes!" This is why I love Beck. He likes all the same food as me, and he doesn't treat me like a baby by constantly asking me if I'm okay. He just wants to talk about what we're getting for dinner. I like that. And he also makes really good eggs and bacon, but I guess that's beside the point.

The X-Ray results show that I have a single fracture, which I guess is the best kind because the bone is only broken in one place. Dr. Johnson takes me and Beck into a little room, where we'll wait for a few minutes before I get my cast. We've just sat down when Jade appears in the doorway. She slows down as soon as she gets to the door, and she looks really out-of-breath.

I watch as she sets a quick hand on Beck's shoulder before moving over to me. "Elliot," she says, and I can tell she's been crying at least a little bit. It's weird to see because I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen my sister cry, but I don't mention it to her now. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," I promise and I smile at her. "My bone is only broken in one place, and I get to pick the color of my cast."

"Okay," she says, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm so sorry that I didn't answer. You have no idea how sorry I am."

"Don't be sorry. Beck was here, and he said we could get chocolate milkshakes at In-N-Out when I'm done." This makes her smile, and she hugs me for longer than usual before standing up again and walking over to Beck.

"Thank you," she sighs, and then he pulls her in for a hug. She's facing away from me so I can't tell for sure, but I think she might be crying just a little bit.

"Everything's okay," I hear Beck whisper to her after a while. He smiles at me over her shoulder and she stays standing in his arms. He's running his hand through her long hair; I think I've seen him do that to her before. It's not an easy task to calm Jade down, but if there's one person who can do it over and over without fail, it's Beck.

I know Jade is grateful that Beck was able to be here with me when she wasn't, but I guess it never crossed my mind that Beck _wouldn't_ come. He wasn't exactly being totally honest when he told Dr. Johnson that he's my brother-in-law, but I think he still kind of counts as one. He feels like my brother, that's for sure.

And besides, he's taking me to get burgers and shakes after this. What else are brothers for?

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I've written a few of these little one-shots. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading more of Beck and Jade with Elliot.


	2. The One with the Mood Swings

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**The One with the Mood Swings**

_Beck_

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I've only been awake for twenty minutes when I hear my phone ringing from where I'd left it on my bed. I run immediately over to it, hoping that it's Jade calling me. I'm close; it's Elliot, using the West home's landline. (He's had my cell phone number memorized since he was six.)

"Beck?"

"Hey, buddy. What's up?"

"I think you should come over."

I feel myself instantly tense up. "Is everything okay?" As I speak, I'm already pulling some jeans on.

"Well, I think so...maybe. It's just that, well, Jade's going crazy."

"What? What do you mean? Is she alright?"

"Kinda," he answers. "She's sitting on the couch watching TV, and she just cried at a cereal commercial. And also, I think she's on her third chocolate chip pancake...and she usually never even eats one. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Before responding to Elliot, I take a quick look at the Hawaii-themed calendar that hangs on my wall. A red circle around today's date gives me my answer, and I have to fight the urge not to laugh out loud. It's no wonder she was in such a bad mood and didn't want to sleep over last night. "Don't worry, El," I assure him. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

I keep my promise, arriving at the door of the West house shortly. After unlocking and shutting the door behind me, I make my way into the kitchen to see the ten-year-old sitting at the table. "Oh, good," Elliot says as he gets up to hug me. "I'm glad you're here."

"Of course. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah, I had some Pop Tarts."

"Good. Still working on the science fair project?"

"Uh-huh. I'm making my graphs right now, but I might need some help with the math part later."

"You got it," I promise. "Is Jade in the living room?"

"Yeah. But...beware."

I laugh and nod my head. "Thanks for the warning." The second I walk into the next room over, I see my girlfriend laying pitifully on the couch. The plate that—according to Elliot—had once been stacked with three pancakes is cleared, and four empty mugs of coffee surround it. "Hey, babe," I say softly, not wanting to startle her.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice sounds tired, but lacks any sharpness whatsoever. She actually, to my happiness, looks relieved.

"I thought I'd come and see you. You seemed upset last night, and I...had forgotten why that might have made sense." I sit down on the side of the couch closest to her head, and she lifts herself up to lay in my lap.

"Yeah, well, I feel like shit." I rub her back and I hear her nearly purr in gratitude.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Not really," she says. "I should have just slept over at the RV but I wasn't in the mood and I—"

"It's okay, babe. No worries. I'll sleep here tonight; how does that sound?" She merely nods her head and I run my fingers through her hair. "Have you taken any painkillers yet?"

"Elliot got me some Advil half an hour ago. Is he working on his project?"

"He is. He was worried about you; it was sweet." Jade smiles and cuddles closer to me. "How were your pancakes? I can tell you probably hated them," I tease her, and I know almost right away that I've misspoken. I've been dating Jade for over four years, and I know her angry look before it even appears on her face.

"What are you trying to say?" She snaps, sitting up from my lap.

"I—"

"So you think I'm fat?"

"Jade," I start, but she's not having it.

"Whatever, Beck. I don't want to hear it. Just go." I stand up, raising my hands up in an innocent gesture, and start to walk out of the room. "And I want my next coffee iced," she tells me, without even taking her eyes off of the TV. She kicks the blanket off of her feet. "It's like a goddamn sauna in here."

I shake my head and head back into the kitchen, where I see Elliot looking up from the table. "Did I tell you, or what?"

"You told me," I reply, starting up the coffee maker. "How's the project coming?"

"I'm just bored," he says, dropping his pencil. "Trevor's mom isn't picking me up until 5, but at least I'm staying at his house, so that'll be fun."

"I'll tell you what: you work on those graphs for another half hour, and by that point I guarantee you Jade will be asleep for a little while. Then we'll go play some basketball outside for a bit."

"Awesome! Okay, deal," he agrees.

Jade's coffee is ready within a few minutes, and I bring two cups to her-one iced and one still hot. I sit down to join her on the couch and she chooses the hot one (this girl, I swear...). Without saying a word, she curls her legs up onto the couch and leans her body into me. "You remembered the extra sugar," she notes, sipping again from her mug.

"Of course I did." Two sugars on a normal day, two and a half any time Jade is on her period and craves the extra sugar. I don't see how it could possibly make a difference, but she insists—and I just want to make her happy. She sets the cup down eventually, choosing to let her tired body try to fall asleep rather than keeping it energized with caffeine.

I'm almost positive that she's dozed off on me when I hear a sniffle. "Babe?" She doesn't respond, but instead sniffles again and wipes underneath her eye with one hand. I almost ask her what's wrong, but my eyes clue me in quickly to what she's staring at. Apparently she's actually been paying attention to the episode of Bones that I barely noticed was playing on the TV.

"It's the kite," she explains before I can open my mouth to tell her I know already. "The kite is the thing that made her happy," she cries, and I hold her tighter.

"I know, babe," I say, trying not to be surprised by her sudden mood swing.

"It always reminds me of us." I don't say anything back because I choose to let her have this moment. This rare moment in which my temperamental girlfriend lets her hormones take over and cries because of a kite on a TV show. "You probably think I'm crazy," Jade says through tears.

I kiss her hair and rub my hand up and down her arm. "Never," I promise. She sniffles a few more times and wipes her face. And it's barely thirty seconds before,

"It's your fault that even I have some kind of weird affinity with kites in the first place. Stupid Alyssa Vaughn."

I almost open my mouth to argue, but I kiss her instead to preoccupy my lips. "You're right," I tell her. "But you're the only one I love, always." She seems satisfied with this (five points for Beck!) and by the end of the Bones episode she's asleep.

I sit with her for a while, just watching the rise and fall of her chest. But I remember my deal with Elliot, so I move Jade slowly so that she's curled up in her blanket on the couch. After kissing her head, I whisper that I love her and head back into the kitchen. "You ready?"

"Yeah! Is Jade sleeping?" He asks me as we walk outside. They have a sports court in their backyard, and I grab a basketball out of the bin to play with.

"Like a rock," I laugh. "So what's up—you're going to Trevor's today?" I pass him the ball and let him take the first practice shot.

"Yeah," he says, shooting it straight into the basket. "His mom is taking us to Jake's birthday party and then I'm sleeping over at his house."

"Sounds pretty fun. And you know your dad is working tomorrow, so Jade and I will come get you from Trevor's in the morning when you're ready."

He takes another shot and I grab it from where I'm standing under the basket. "Beck?"

I toss the ball back to him. "Yeah?"

"Why do most people not work on Sundays, but my dad does?"

I sigh, trying not to let my face show how bad I feel for him. "I think...that everyone has their passion. Something that they're excited about, and that they want to invest a lot of time in. Your dad really loves his work, so maybe he doesn't mind working on Sunday because it's his thing. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," he says, sinking another basket. "So, then, is acting your passion?"

"I would say so." I throw him the ball again. "But the most important things to me are Jade and you."

He thinks over this for a second. "Even more than acting?"

"Even more than acting."

"I guess that makes sense," he decides. "How long have I known you for?"

"I first met you when you were four. So it's been about seven years. Why?"

"Because for as long as I can remember you've always been here!"

I laugh and he smiles back at me. "Hopefully nothing about that will change," I say, rebounding his shot.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Of course."

"Do you think you and Jade will get married?"

I can't help the grin that appears on my face. "Let me tell you a little secret." His ears perk up. "I'm about a hundred percent positive that I'm always going to be in love with Jade. So as long her feelings never change, I think that maybe one day we would get married."

"That would be fun! You'd be like, my...my...what's it called again?"

"Brother-in-law," I finish for him.

"Yeah! We'd be brothers, but for real! How old do you have to be to get married?"

"There's not really an age, but most people wait until after they've graduated from college."

"Oh. Well what about living together? You and Jade are gonna live together, right? In the new apartment?"

"Yep. After we graduate in May, we're moving into that apartment—the same one we all went to look at, with two bedrooms."

"Okay. Well if you're not gonna be married until after college then I guess that's the next best thing, huh?"

"I think so," I laugh. "And you know your dad's already given us his schedule for when he'll be out of town on business. If it's cool with you, Jade and I want you to stay in the extra bedroom in our apartment whenever he's gone."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. The room is yours."

His face lights up and his smile is too damn cute. "Cool."

By the time his friend Trevor's mom has come to pick him up, Elliot is packed for his sleepover and Jade and I see him out the door. He hugs both of us and we tell him we'll see him tomorrow, and then he's off for the night.

Jade and I go up to her room and get comfortable on her bed. She has her heating pad that she lays on to soothe her back, and I sit up so I can play with her hair. To my surprise, we've only been talking for about ten minutes when she pulls my face down to kiss her. Completely unopposed, I maneuver my body to lie next to hers and hold her face in my hands.

Within seconds, she's reaching down to pull my shirt off over my head. "Babe," I whisper, catching my breath before we get too carried away.

"I know," she sighs, seeming frustrated. "I know."

"Do you...still want to?"

"Beck, you don't have to. It'll be a mess—"

"We have towels. We can lay them down on the bed, and everything will be like normal. Besides, this is supposed to help with your cramps, right?" She doesn't answer me, and I can tell she feels nervous. "Jade, if you're not comfortable with it, I'm perfectly okay with that. Your period will be over in a few days, and we can have sex then. It's no big deal." I rub my fingers gently on her cheek. "Completely up to you."

"We...could try it. If you...don't mind."

"Mind?" I reiterate and smile at her. "I _never_ mind getting to make love to my girlfriend."

"Ugh," she tosses her head back and rolls her eyes. "You're so cheesy! Just _fuck_ me, Beck. Fuck me."

I don't know if I'd already gotten myself worked up or if her words just triggered it, but suddenly I know that there's no way we're stopping. I fight the urge to lean in for another kiss, instead bolting downstairs to the laundry room to grab some old towels. When I get back to her room, she's taken her yoga pants and my t-shirt off, leaving her only in her bra and underwear.

The sex is amazing, and Jade says that the sensation of being held between her heading pad and my body is "more than comfortable" for her. Since I'm doing the work (which I never mind), I'm careful not to get too rough with her. Despite the fact that Jade claims to like it when I'm more aggressive, the circumstances this time are a little different and I'm more concerned with making sure that I don't hurt her.

The mess isn't bad, and the towels I'd laid underneath us are able to catch everything. The best part is that Jade's cramps are entirely gone when we're finished. Or maybe the best part is what she says _after_ we're finished. She rolls towards me and kisses my cheek. "Wash off with a shower?"

Hours later, after we've cleaned up and eaten our delivered sushi from Nozu, we're back in her bed for the night. She's lying on her side facing me, and she pushes my hair out of my face. "What did you and Elliot do while I was napping?"

"We finished the graphs for his project, and we went outside to play some basketball. I told him about the spare bedroom in our apartment being his."

"Was he happy about it?"

"He was. I phrased like it was me asking him if he'd _want_ to stay at our place when your dad is gone, but there's no way in hell he'd be in this house alone," I remind her. "So it's a good thing he was excited."

Jade smiles. "You're so protective over him."

"I just want to keep him safe. He's such a good kid; he deserves the best life. And to be honest, I think he has it. It doesn't get much better than for him to have you as his sister."

Jade flips over then, predictably deciding that I'm too sappy for her. But, "I love you," she says. "And I don't know what Elliot and I would do without you."

"Goes both ways, babe," I promise her, kissing her shoulder and spooning her closer to me. "I love you. Goodnight."

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**What did you think of this one? Do you have anything you'd like to see for this series?**


	3. The One with the Magic Power

**A/N: This story is NON-SEQUITUR. In one chapter Beck and Jade could be sophomores in college, the next sophomores in high school, and the next 25 years old. I'm flopping around; there is no order. Sorry if that's confusing, but I don't think it should have any negative impact on the series!**

**Additionally, the voice of the narrator is indicated under the chapter's title!**

* * *

**The One with the Magic Powers**

_Beck_

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"Beck. Beck. Beck."

I crack open my eyes to see a little hand on my shoulder. "Elliot? Hey, buddy, what's up?"

"I'm scared," he whispers. "The storm is getting really loud."

I carefully move Jade's arm off of where it lays across my chest and prop myself up with my elbows. "Jade," I say aloud, rubbing her back. "Babe, wake up." She mumbles something unrecognizable and I run my hand over her hair. "Elliot's here."

This jolts her awake, and she instantly lifts her head to see her eight-year-old brother standing closest to my side of the bed. "Elliot? What's wrong—is everything okay?"

"The thunder scares me," he says, in a tiny voice. "Dad told me to be quiet and go back to bed, but I can't. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry." Jade glances at my quickly, as if to get my approval to let him stay, and I nod my head reassuringly. "Do you want to get in bed with us?"

He nods his head and I smile at him. "Get in here, big guy," I say, helping him crawl onto the bed to lay between us. "It's okay to be scared, you know."

"Are you scared of things?" He asks me, his hazel eyes widening as another thunderbolt strikes the ground.

"Sure I am. I'm scared of the dark. I don't like sleeping by myself at night because I think it's scary." I can see Jade smiling from the corner of my eye, but I keep a straight face.

"So Jade sleeps next to you so that you don't get scared?" He asks, in what I think might be my favorite question he's ever spoken.

"Exactly. She can scare off any of the monsters hiding under the bed or in the closet," I remind him.

This makes Elliot laugh. "She can be pretty scary."

"I am not scary," my girlfriend finally defends herself. "And even if I am, at least that means I can protect you two butt cheeks."

"See," I point out to Elliot. "Now we have nothing to be afraid of. No storms or monsters in the dark can get to us, because we have Jade. She's our magic power." He giggles and Jade rolls her eyes—albeit still smiling.

"I think you're both delirious," she claims. "Let's go back to sleep."

There's a minute of silence (other than the sound of the rain), where we all get settled into our new sleeping positions. Finally, I speak up. "I'm glad you came in here, buddy."

Jade nods. "You did the right thing by coming to us when you didn't feel safe." She soothingly combs her fingers in his hair and he sighs tiredly. "I might not always wake up, but Beck definitely will," she says, laughing quietly.

"Anything you need," I promise him. "We're right here." Jade kisses his forehead and Elliot's eyes close in his long-awaited sleep. She smiles and I reach my arm over him to rest on her body.

"I love you," she mouths silently.

"I love you more. Goodnight." And with that, my eyes are closed for the night.

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**Thank you so much for all of the feedback! The more I get, the more I write ;)**


	4. The One with the Anniversary

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**The One with the Anniversary**

_Jade_

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The second I wake up, I can feel the weight of the day on my shoulders. It's a burden that I started to feel several days ago, when I knew I could count down the number of hours until this day would begin. One glance at my clock tells me that it's barely five in the morning. It only figures; I haven't slept the night before this day since the very first time I had to endure it.

Besides the fact that it's slowly—and very slowly—gotten less painful over the years, there's just one thing that's different nowadays from the first few years. I'm reminded of that difference when I sigh deeply and feel his body against mine, and his arm wrapped tightly around me. As much as I would refuse to admit that I need anyone other than myself, I'm unable to lie even to my own conscience about how safe he makes me feel.

Once I accept that I won't be falling back asleep, I start planning how I want today to go. Since I was eleven years old, my primary goal for this day has been to make things easy on Elliot. He was only four when it happened; he barely knew what was going on. But he's eleven now, and he's realized since then how our mom's death would affect both of us for the rest of our lives.

We go to her grave every year on this day, just Elliot and me. I tell him each time that he doesn't have to go—that I know how hard it is and that it's his choice. But every time, he decides to come with me. I don't know if it's more because he actually wants to be there or if it's more because he doesn't want me going alone, but regardless, he's there.

I've decided, though, that this year I'm going to try something new. If it's okay with Elliot, I'm going to ask Beck if he wants to join us in visiting her grave this time. Our five year anniversary is coming up in two months, and I guess I finally feel like it's about time that he meets my mom. Or, at least, gets as close as possible to meeting her. He's been so respectful about the fact that I've never asked him to go; he's never once said a word that would indicate that he ever had a problem with me leaving him out of it. But I can see past the look on his face every year. I know that he wants to be there for me and Elliot. And, starting this year, I want him to be, too.

I guess I spend a few hours thinking more about Beck and Elliot and my mom, because soon enough it's nine and the sun has risen and my boyfriend is stirring from behind me. I turn in his arms to face him, and I watch his brown eyes open slowly. "Hi," he says in his sleepy voice.

"Hi."

"Been up for a while?"

"Just a few hours," I answer.

"You should have woken me."

"You say that every year."

"And I mean it every year." I don't reply. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I should go see if Elliot's awake, though."

"Okay." He presses his lips to my forehead. "I'll start breakfast downstairs."

I roll out of my bed and throw on a bra under the big t-shirt of Beck's that I'd worn to sleep. When I get to Elliot's room, he's laying in his bed reading a book. "Hey, El," I say, sitting down next to him.

"Hey." He bookmarks his page and sets the book down in front of him. "Are you doing okay today?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for asking." I give him a small smile. "I wanted to ask you something about today."

"Okay, what is it?"

"I want to know how you would feel if I asked Beck to come with us to see Mom today. If you just want it to be the two of us, that's perfectly fine with me. But if you're okay with Beck going, too, then I was going to ask him."

He barely waits a few seconds before, "I would like it if he came."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think you wouldn't be as sad if he was there. And I think that Mom would want to meet him. I think she'd like Beck."

I smile at him. "I think she would, too. I'll ask him at breakfast. He's down there making eggs right now. You hungry?"

"I'm always hungry," he reminds me, hopping out of his bed. I follow him downstairs in perfect time for Beck to set all of our plates at the table. He kisses my cheek and we all sit down to eat the breakfast he'd made: eggs and bacon for the boys, oatmeal for me, and fruit for all three of us. We've barely been eating for a few minutes when Elliot looks at me expectantly. "Are you gonna ask him?"

Beck turns his head up to us curiously. "Ask me?"

I take a sip of my coffee and set my hand over his. "I was going to ask you...if you wanted to come with me and Elliot today."

His eyes open a little wider and he smiles. "I would love to." He folds his fingers into mine. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Elliot grins. "So you'll come?"

"I wouldn't miss it," Beck tells him, and I squeeze his hand.

We continue breakfast, then, opting to talk about normal things. It isn't until we're about to get up to take our dishes to the sink when Elliot asks another question. "Jade?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think there's any way that..."

He doesn't have to finish his sentence for me to know what he's asking. "I don't think so, buddy. I'm sorry. I think he's already at work." I'm immediately glad that I had told my father to move his car into the garage before this morning. Elliot doesn't need to know that our dad spends every anniversary of his wife's death in his office drinking scotch. In truth, it's barely ten in the morning and he's most likely already drunk.

Once we've cleaned up the table, Beck walks over to Elliot and puts his arm around him. "You know something?"

"Hmm?" My brother looks up at the person I know he thinks the world of.

"You've taken your sister to see your mom every year since before I think you can even remember. And that makes you more of a man than your dad could ever be." He nods in understanding, and then turns to hug Beck. Elliot usually isn't that affectionate, but I know he's feeling more vulnerable than usual today because he just stands there and lets Beck hold on to him for a while. My heart beats too quickly at the sight of it, and soon it's over and we're all heading back upstairs.

I put on a black sundress and my favorite black boots and then fix my hair. I make sure not to put on too much eye makeup because I'm past the age of trying to convince myself that I'm not going to cry once I get there. I hated myself for it for years, but it always happens. I guess I've learned my lesson. Before leaving, I also grab the latest book I'd finished (The Awakening by Kate Chopin) and flip to the page I had bookmarked as my favorite. I rip it out to take to my mom and stick it carefully in my purse.

Elliot is wearing a green shirt, just like he does every year, and I can't help but smile when I see him. "You know what mom would say: that that green brings out your eyes." He smiles back and starts off downstairs, with Beck and I following behind him. Beck drives us to the graveyard and we arrive to a quiet grounds, as usual. I guess June 2nd isn't a popular day for deaths, because we're typically the only ones here. And don't get me wrong: I appreciate the silence and the privacy.

I take Elliot's hand and Beck takes mine, and we walk together to my mom's grave. It's classy, just like she was. All three of us are quiet for what feels like a long time. Finally, I speak up and hope that my voice will sound stronger than I feel. "Hi, Mom. It's me, and Elliot." Elliot leans his body against me. "And I brought someone for you to finally meet... This is Beck."

I can feel how nervous he is just by standing next to him. I squeeze his hand gently so that he knows it's okay to speak if he wants to. I guess he does. "Hi, Mrs. West." He takes a deep breath. "It's really nice to meet you. Thanks for being such a great mom to Jade and Elliot. They mean the world to me, just like I know they do to you."

It's quiet again, and then the smaller boy to my right starts to talk. "Hi, Mom. I think you would like Beck a lot, because I do and Jade does. He makes Jade smile a lot. I know you would like that. I miss you, and I brought you my basketball picture for this year. I'm still number three. Jade says I look like you. I hope I do."

I hold Elliot closer to me and rub his arm gently. "You do," I promise him. We stand there a while longer, until Beck decides to go for a walk and leave us with our mom. Elliot asks to go with him, I think because he probably needs a little break from the intensity of it all, and Beck tells him that if course he can join. I'm alone with Mom, then, and I sit down right by her grave.

"He's cute, huh?" I smile to myself. "Both of them are, actually. Elliot's gotten bigger just since we came over Christmas break. He's growing taller, and every time I remember that he's starting middle school this fall I just want to squeeze him and bottle him up so that he'll stay little forever. He's so mature, Mom... He's intuitive and funny, like you. He's smart; he's a great basketball player; and he's absolutely obsessed with Beck." I look up to see the two of them walking together on the paved little path and my heart swells.

"And speaking of Beck... Mom, I think he's the most wonderful man I've ever met. I know I've told you about him since I was thirteen, but I guess it just took me a while to get the confidence to bring him here. We're moving into that apartment I told you about in a few weeks, and we've got a spare bedroom for Elliot. I just want to tell you that he takes such good care of me, and of Elliot. And I wish," I say, but I choke on my word. The first tear falls moments later, and I decide not to fight it this time. "I wish that you could be here to be with us. I wish that you got to see Elliot growing up, and me too. I loved having a mom," I tell her. "And it's not fair that I got mine taken away." I take a few deep breaths. "But I'm doing okay. I promise, I'm doing okay. As long as I have Elliot and I have Beck, I'm so happy."

I go on to show her the book page that I brought for her this time. I use a rock to hold the page and Elliot's basketball picture to her grave, and explain why my favorite part of The Awakening was my favorite. I like to think that she's still reading all of my books with me, and that one day we'll get to compare thoughts and opinions and likes and dislikes.

I stand up then, and I'm alone for a few minutes until Beck and Elliot rejoin me. Beck sees that I'm still letting some of those stubborn tears fall, so he pulls me in for a strong hug. "It's okay," he promises me, and I even believe him.

Forty-five minutes later, we're back at the house and I've pulled out the old photo albums. For a solid two hours, Beck, Elliot, and I flip through dozens of pictures of my mom, me, and Elliot. They're nothing we haven't seen before, but it's always nice to be reminded of how amazing my mom was.

The three of us spend the rest of the day simply relaxing; we swim in the backyard pool, fall asleep during the movie we were watching for an afternoon nap, and wake up all tangled on the couch. For dinner, we stick with tradition and make a pizza, my mom's favorite. We add everything possible to it, while still ensuring that one half is vegan and one most definitely is not. Eating it is even more fun, and we're so stuffed and exhausted by the day's end that going to bed sounds like the best idea anyone's ever had.

Beck and I tuck Elliot in before heading back to my room and getting situated in bed. I rest my head on his chest and he holds me in his arms and I get that same feeling of safeness that he always provides me with. "Jade?"

"Yeah?" I reply without moving.

"Thanks for introducing me to your mom today. She's pretty awesome." I sigh and lean up to press a kiss to his neck. "I'm the luckiest guy in the entire world. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I have a dream about my mom when I fall asleep. She's sitting on our porch, laughing with that gorgeous, soulful laugh that she had. Someone is sitting next to her, and it takes me less than a millisecond to notice his body frame and his thick, brown hair. He's laughing too, and his whole face crinkles up like it always does when he even so much as smiles. I don't know what they're laughing about, but I can't exactly complain about a dream in which I get to watch the two most beautiful people in the world laugh together.

Even though I know I'm dreaming, it feels so real. It feels as though my mom is trying to tell me that, if she were still here, that this scene would actually play out flawlessly in front of me. She likes him. She approves of him. She knows he's good for me.

Beck tells me the next morning that I was smiling in my sleep.

* * *

**I know this one was a bit darker, but I felt like it was important. If you remember from "Chanel No. 5," Hazel West died of breast cancer the summer before Jade started middle school. Anyhow, what did you think?**


	5. The One with the Graduation

**A/N: Another reminder that this story does not follow a chronological timeline.**

**Additionally, a reminder that this is the same world as "Chanel No. 5." **

* * *

**The One with the Graduation**

_Beck_

.

"Babe, if we don't leave in the next five minutes, we're going to be late!"

"No, we're not," I hear Jade argue from where she's standing in front of the mirror. "The place is only fifteen minutes away."

"Uh-huh." I pop my head into her closet. "And you're forgetting that Louis is going to have to take us a back way so that we don't have to deal with the paps outside the front of the building."

"Oh, please," she says, pulling yet another top off and hanging it on her full rack of shirts. "It's a high school graduation, not the Oscars. I doubt any paparazzi will even know we're going to this."

"I wish you were right, babe. But Chris sent me a picture an hour ago of an entire twitter feed about us going to see Elliot graduate. And since neither of us feels like answering any questions about the rumors, we'd better be safe than sorry."

She groans and then, after putting on what I assume to be her fifth or sixth shirt, turns to face me. "How does this one look?"

"It looks great!" I promise. "You look good in everything."

"Just _good_? God, I knew I was getting fatter." She's about to tug yet another outfit off when I stop her.

"Jade," I say, holding onto her arms. "You are not getting fatter. You are growing in the one particular area that you are _supposed_ to be growing in. And you look absolutely flawless in that shirt. I love it on you."

"Are you just saying that to get me out the door?"

"Swear on my life."

She thinks over it for a second, and then assumedly decides that she trusts me enough to leave the shirt on (thank god). "Okay, let's go." She grabs her purse and a sweater before taking my hand and walking with me down to the car. Louis, our trusted and very kind driver, opens the door of the black suburban for us, and then we're finally on the way to the ceremony.

Chris, our bodyguard, is right about the mob of photographers that line up at the entrance of the convention center; we pass them and take a back route so that Jade and I can enter comfortably and find our seats in the auditorium. By this point, we're used to the staring and whispering. It used to irritate both of us to a place of extreme frustration, but we've since learned to deal with it. We chose careers in the entertainment industry, and it's simply part of the job.

Thankfully, we reach our seats soon. Jade's father, whose presence is largely due to Jade's threats of what would happen if he didn't come, is already in his chair with a program. I take the seat next to him to provide a barrier between him and my wife, who couldn't care less about him other than that she wants him to support Elliot on one of the biggest days of his life.

"Hello, Beck," he greets me with his firm handshake and I smile kindly. As much issue I take with my father-in-law's longtime physical and emotional absence in his children's lives, I know it's only appropriate to be civil with him. "Jade," he addresses her, and she nods her head nonchalantly. "How are things with the two of you?" He asks me, and I'm actually surprised at the attempted small talk.

"We're great," I answer honestly. "Very excited for Elliot on his big day." I can feel Jade's annoyance seeping off of her, so I put my arm around her to calm it just a bit. The ceremony starts, but we know that it'll be a while until we get to see Elliot walk the stage due to the alphabetical order by last name. Fortunately for us, though, he also has the third speech of the night.

As soon as he rises to go to the podium, his classmates are cheering for him. His big grin covers his face and Jade and I are both already smiling. In his speech—which he was asked to give due to his position as Senior Class President—he talks about his excitement for the future. His words are witty, smart, and perfect for the occasion. We're beaming with pride when he sits down after finishing.

"Damn good speech he had," Tanner West whispers to me, and I know he had just heard the speech for the first time. Unlike Jade and I, who had listened to every writing and rewriting, every practiced joke and edition of Elliot's speech, Tanner had just learned yesterday that his son would be speaking at his graduation.

About halfway through the ceremony, I can feel Jade getting uncomfortable. "What's the matter, babe?"

"Nothing, just the nausea. I'll be fine."

"Jade, you need some water. Why don't you get up and go to the bathroom? That way you can walk around a bit and get some fresh air."

"I don't want to. I'm fine sitting here, I promise." I want to believe her, but her cheeks are flushing pink and I know well that she's been getting dehydrated much more easily these past few months.

"If you don't go get a bottle of water, I'm going to get you one. And you'll be here alone with him." She rolls her eyes, but I know I've done the right thing—especially when she comes back in five minutes holding a water bottle and looking significantly better. "See? And all you missed was about ten kids that all had the last name Smith."

She rests her head on my shoulder until, finally, the eighth-to-last graduating senior walks onto the stage. "Elliot Shrader West," the Beverly Hills High School principle calls his name. "Elliot's credits include Advanced Academic Scholar, Senior Class President, and Varsity Basketball Captain. Elliot will attend the University of California at Los Angeles, where he will play for their men's basketball team."

I snap a few pictures, and all three of us are clapping along with the rest of the auditorium. Once the program ends soon after, Tanner West turns towards us and asks if we'd like to join him for dinner with Elliot. I feel bad turning down his request, so I extend an offer instead. "Jade and I had plans to take Elliot to our favorite Mexican restaurant; I think he'd like it if you came along, too."

"That would be excellent," he says. "Send me the address and I'll meet you there."

I agree to this, hoping that Jade isn't ready to kill me, and lead her back to the exit where Louis and Chris help us into the car. "Are you mad?" I ask right away. "Because, if you are, I'm really sorry. I just have some sort of sympathy for him nowadays; I guess all of this thinking about being a dad makes me realize that I would never want to be isolated from my children and I just—"

"Beck," she interrupts me by setting her hand on my leg. "I'm not mad, honey. I think that Elliot will be happy that his dad wants to celebrate his graduation with him."

"Okay," I say, leaning over to kiss her.

"And speaking of Elliot, there he is." Jade alerts me to where Chris is leading her younger brother to our car. Once he's inside, we shower him with compliments and congratulations and let Louis know that he's clear to drive us to the restaurant.

"So, how does it feel to be a high school graduate?"

"Pretty damn awesome," he answers me, grinning. And then, in typical teenage boy fashion, "So where are we eating?"

"Babita! And, uh, speaking of dinner... I sort of invited your dad to come with."

"Really?"

"Really," Jade answers for me.

"And he's actually coming?"

"He even seemed excited about it," I tell him.

"Wow. Okay, well yeah, that's cool with me! Jade," he says, reaching his arm across me to touch his sister's stomach, "how's my little future NBA star?"

"He _or she_ is fine, thank you very much. I don't know why the two of you insist on it being a boy; I'm already outnumbered. And, by the way, if you think I'm going to let my child play the sport that's caused you a broken arm and a fractured collarbone, you've lost your mind."

"I was in fifth grade when I broke that arm!" Elliot defends himself, and I just laugh. "All kids break bones. And the collarbone thing was just bad luck. But see," he says, pulling down his button-up shirt just slightly to reveal his healthy skin, "I'm all good now."

"She'll come around," I tease, putting my arm around Jade. "But I don't know about the whole NBA player thing. Don't get me wrong; I'd love to see my son play for the Lakers. But maybe he'll want to be an actor."

"No way," Elliot laughs. "He's going pro, just like his uncle."

"Right now," Jade intercedes, "I don't give a damn about what career this kid's going to have. I just need to eat. Louis, are we close?"

"Just a few more minutes, Mrs. Oliver," he promises kindly.

"Thank god."

True to Louis's word, we're getting seated at the restaurant ten minutes later. Tanner West arrives shortly after us, joining us at the table for four. We order appetizers and, once our drinks have arrived, Tanner proposes a toast. "To Elliot," he offers, raising his glass to clink with the three of us.

To my surprise, conversation flows rather naturally. We talk mostly about the graduate, and his plans for the summer—juggling coaching a kid's basketball camp and training for his upcoming college season. When we reach a point of silence, Jade takes the opportunity to do exactly what I didn't think she'd want to do.

"Dad," she says, getting Tanner's full attention. "I know this night is for Elliot, but I do just want to mention something to you. I thought you should know—before Beck and I announce it publicly—that we're pregnant."

"You... You are?" She nods, and he looks at his daughter as if he blinked after she was born and suddenly she's twenty-five and expecting a baby of her own. "Wow." He looks at me, and then back to Jade, and then back to me. "Congratulations, that's wonderful news. I'm certain that... That you'll be just like your mother."

Jade gives him a hint of a smile and I nudge her foot gently under the table. Despite her lack of relationship with her father, I know that those words mean the world to her. "Do you know the gender?" He asks, seemingly genuinely curious.

"We find out at the four-month appointment next week," I answer with a big smile. From there, the conversation spirals into baby talk, like which room in our house we're converting to a nursery and jokes about Elliot babysitting.

By some miracle, Jade and I make it back to our home without encountering any paparazzi. We thank Louis and Chris for accompanying us, and then head back up the steps to the front door. "I can't believe he's graduated from high school," I say, locking the door and setting the alarm system behind us.

"I can't believe my dad actually showed up and was civil and...nice...for an entire evening."

"He really put in the effort tonight," I agree. "You can almost see the guilt on his face, you know?"

"Yep. I guess that's the prize you earn for staying out of your kids' lives." She grabs a pint of vegan oreo ice cream and a pint of my regular chocolate out of the freezer and starts to make us milkshakes.

"You know," I say, wrapping my arms around her from behind, "there is one thing your dad said that was most definitely true."

"Hmm?" I know she already knows what I'm going to say, but she wants to hear me say it out loud. It's something I've told her for years now—something I've been telling her long before we knew about this baby.

"You," I pause to kiss her shoulder, "are going to be just like your mom." I hold her closer, resting my hands on her slightly curved stomach. "You already are."

She resumes making our milkshakes then, and I can see her smiling. "Here," she says, turning around in my arms to hand me my late night snack. "Your _daughter_ and I made this for you."

I grin. "You sure you don't mean son?"

"You know, a boy would actually be fun. He'd probably look like a combination of you and Elliot."

"Or if we have a girl, she'll look like you. We have to have at least one girl," I say, kissing her.

"Down, boy. I'm already pregnant." I laugh, and the smile that appears on her face is absolute magic. "Let's just focus on this baby, huh?"

"Deal," I agree, tasting my milkshake. "Mmm, babe. This is perfect."

"Good. I figure we might as well enjoy all of the ice cream possible before I start blowing up."

"I, for one, can't wait for your stomach to grow. And besides, the bigger you get, the taller our son will be."

She raises her eyebrows. "So it's okay if I look like a basketball as long as our son can dunk one? I don't think so."

"Hey, you are beautiful all the time," I promise. "And you said son."

"Whatever."

"You did. You think it's a boy, too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"I do not."

"You totally—" She kisses me in the middle of my argument to shut me up.

And I'm more than okay with that.

* * *

**Thoughts? Would you like to see more of when they're older?**


	6. The One with the Talk

.

**The One with the Talk**

_Beck_

.

"Babe, I can't do that."

"You have to! " Jade slams her locker shut and slides her hand into mine. "He doesn't feel comfortable going to my dad, since he barely pays any attention to Elliot when he's home. And I can't ignore these questions for long."

"Okay, define 'asking questions.' What kind of questions are we talking?" I pull Sikowtiz's classroom door open for her to enter first. "How much does he actually know?"

"Literally the most blunt questions I've ever been asked in my life." We sit down and she tosses her legs into my lap. "We were at the table eating breakfast this morning before you picked us up, and he asked me—straight up—what sex is. I almost spit out my cereal."

"Oh, god. How did he even hear about this?!"

"Apparently his friend Leo said something about it at school. But all he knows is that it exists, and that it's something adults do."

"This is so bad." I shake my head and let it fall just slightly.

"What's the matter, Beck?" Andre's voice shakes me from my thoughts and I look up to see him and Tori sit down in the row in front of us.

Jade grins and tousles my hair. "He's just super excited about the sex talk he'll be giving this weekend."

"This weekend?" I whine. "That barely gives me any time to figure out what I'm gonna say to him!"

"Woah, wait—who are you giving a sex talk to?"

"Elliot, Jade's little brother," I explain. "He's in fifth grade and he's asking questions about sex."

"Aww," Tori chimes in, prompting Jade to roll her eyes. "That's so cute! But wait." She looks at Jade. "Why doesn't your dad just talk to him?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Jade prefaces, "but my dad never talks to Elliot; he wouldn't want to ask him anything, much less sex questions. Beck, on the other hand, is his favorite person in the world."

"Not more than you," I argue, even though I love when Jade says stuff like that.

"Yes, more than me. And even so, I'm his older sister; I'm sure as hell not talking to him about this!"

"Beck," Andre says, "how bad can it actually be? He's, what, eleven? He can't have that many questions. And, let's be honest, it's not like you don't have the experience to answer them."

I roll my eyes and Jade throws a pen at him, which he laughs off.

Saturday rolls around faster than I'd have hoped. Jade and I have what I guess you could call a sort-of weekly tradition of treating ourselves to a bit of fun on Saturdays; since we're usually tired and rushed on school mornings, we celebrate the start of the weekend with morning sex. It's the perfect way to wake up, and it's especially great when we're at her house because her bed is so big and comfortable.

When we finally get up, I decide to take Elliot out to our favorite pancake spot for breakfast. Just after the waiter leaves from bringing our drinks, I clasp my hands together and set my elbows comfortably on the table. "So," I start. "I hear you've got some questions."

"Questions?" He takes a sip of his water, and his eyebrows pull together the same way Jade's do when she's confused.

"Well, yeah." I'm trying so hard not to be awkward, but it's proving to be difficult. "I guess maybe...Leo mentioned some stuff at school?"

"Oh. _That_ stuff."

"Yeah, that stuff. Do you want to talk about it? If you don't, that's okay. But if you do, I just want you to know that you can ask me anything."

"Okay," he says, slowly nodding his head. We order our pancakes and, as soon as the waiter is gone, Elliot turns back to me. "I tried to ask Jade something a few days ago, but she told me that you would have a better answer."

Of course Jade said that. Of course.

"Okay," I reply, already preparing myself. "Try me."

"Okay. Well, on Wednesday at school, Leo and some other guys were talking about something that Leo's older brother had told him about." He lowers his voice before, "It's called sex. Have you heard of it?"

I almost choke on my water, but force myself to play it cool because I _cannot_ embarrass him. "Yes," I answer. "I have."

"Leo's brother said you have to take off your clothes for it. And he said that it happens with a boy and a girl, and it's how you have babies."

"Okay, well, all of those things are true. Is that all you've heard?" I figure this can't be that bad—so long as he hasn't heard any crazy stories or anything.

"Uh-huh," he says, but I can tell he's lying.

"You sure?"

It takes him a minute, but eventually he opens his mouth. "Leo's brother said that you have to...well, that... That you have to see a girl's...you know. Not the top stuff."

"The bottom stuff?"

"Uh-huh."

"Alright." I brace myself for what I'd practiced to say to him. "So here's how it works." I explain to him, in as little detail as possible, how a guy's "bottom stuff" has to enter a girl's. If they do that, I tell him, then she can get pregnant with their baby. And that's where babies come from.

He's quiet for another few minutes, and by this point our pancakes are here so at least we've got food as a distraction. "So, it only has to do with the bottom stuff, right?"

"Yep."

"So, can you leave your shirts on?"

It's a battle not to laugh, but again, I manage. Maybe I'm not so bad at this. "Yeah, I guess you could if you wanted to."

"Okay, that makes sense," he decides. "Beck?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Have you ever done sex?"

His question shocks me, and I hate my brain for involuntarily flashing back to barely an hour ago. Up in Jade's bedroom, just down the hall from Elliot's. My senses flare as I remember her bare body on top of mine, our chests completely pressed together. I'm getting myself worked up, I realize quickly, and pull it together fast. "No, no," I answer. "No. It's not something that you should do until you're really in love with a girl and you want to have a baby." I know that's not true for everyone, but I don't know what else to tell him.

"But you're really in love with Jade, aren't you?"

"I am, but—"

"You guys don't want to have a baby?"

"Well, someday, sure. Just not now."

"So you can do sex more than one time?"

"Yeah, you can whenever you are ready to have a baby. See, me and Jade are in love, but we're only seniors in high school. We don't want to have a baby right now."

"But someday? You and Jade will do sex?"

If I thought Elliot would have any shyness about asking me these questions, I guess I was dead wrong. Maybe Jade was right about how comfortable he feels with me. Or maybe he just doesn't understand that sex is a private thing. I should probably clear that up.

"Sure," I answer, because what the hell else am I supposed to say? "But the cool thing about sex is that it's kind of something that's just between those two people who are doing it. Who you have sex with—years from now, when you're ready to—is nobody's business but yours. You don't have to tell anyone. It's a personal choice and something to share with the person you love."

"Oh. That's cool. So when you and Jade want to have a baby and you want to do sex, it'll just be something that you guys do together and you won't tell anyone?"

"Exactly."

"Okay, that makes sense."

We move on to talk about normal things, like sports and movies and stuff, and the sex talk is finished. I feel like I did a pretty good job, and I'm excited to tell Jade about my success when we get home. When I pull up to the house, Elliot hops out to take his bike (which he'd left in the driveway) back into the garage. I walk into the house, where I see Jade sitting on the couch writing.

"So," she says, smiling curiously, "how'd it go?"

"It was great," I answer honestly and plop down next to her on the couch.

"Really?"

"Really. I feel good about it."

"You didn't tell him anything about _us_, did you?"

"N-no, not exactly," I start to say, but then Elliot is running inside from the garage.

"Hey Jade!" Elliot exclaims before I can say anything. "You missed out on breakfast. Beck told me about how, one day, when you guys have babies, you'll get to do sex!" Both of our mouths drop open, and he runs off upstairs cluelessly to his bedroom.

I can feel Jade start to boil, so I hop up as fast as I can and run out the door into the backyard. "Beck Dylan Oliver!" She hollers, running after me and slamming the back door behind her. "I swear to god, I am never _doing sex_ with you ever again!"

But I'm pretty sure that, from where I'm hiding behind a big tree, I can hear her laughing.

* * *

**Thoughts? :)**


	7. The One with the Green Shirt

.

**The One with the Green Shirt**

_Beck_

.

As soon as I walk into the coffee shop near campus, I spot her. I make my way around the tables and chairs between us until I'm finally able to kiss her. "Hi," I say, taking my seat across from her. "Did you already order coffee?"

"Yeah. I think they bring it to us."

"Fancy," I offer.

"I know, right?"

After exchanging stories about how our days have been so far, I finally decide to quit being a baby and just bring up what I needed to tell her about. "I'm going to tell you something, but I don't want you to get mad."

"Who did you cheat on me with?"

"Jade," I say her name skeptically. "This isn't about me."

"Oh, so some girl just—"

"It's about Elliot." Now she looks interested, and a barista approaches our table.

"Two house brews for Jade?"

"Yup," she answers, sliding one towards herself and beginning to prepare it with her sugars.

I thank the girl and then get back to our conversation while making my own coffee. "Anyways, he's sort of...got a crush." Jade's eyebrows shoot up; I knew this wouldn't be easy. "Her name is Annabel and she's in his class. He wants to ask her on a date."

"What?" She spits out. "No! He's a baby; he can't take a girl out on a date!"

"Jade, he's thirteen. Some other seventh graders have been on dates before. Hell, you and I started dating at the end of seventh grade. He just wants to take her to a movie or something—nothing big."

"When did he tell you this? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Because he knew you'd say no, babe. He just texted me today during his lunch period at school. He thinks he has a better chance of getting permission if I talk to you rather than him asking you directly," I say with a laugh, and she rolls her eyes. "Come on, babe. We can chaperone! I've heard The Lego Movie is actually supposed to be really funny."

"I would rather shove my scissors down my—"

"Okay, so maybe not that one," I calm her down. "But we can go with them and, you know...sit a few rows back. Just to make sure everything is good and PG on their little date."

"Wait, what the hell kind of date has a chaperone? Our parents never came to our dates—and thank god for that, because we did not see _any_ of that Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I still don't know what happens."

I grin, because I love when Jade brings up memories of stuff we've shared together. Being sophomores in college doesn't make us any less sentimental about the fact that we've been dating for so long. "I think that experience only solidified in my mind the fact that we _will_ be chaperoning Elliot's date. No funny business happening there."

Jade laughs at me. "You sound like a middle-aged dad."

"But I win, right? He can ask her?"

"Whatever," Jade grumbles. "But I am _not_ seeing a movie about legos."

Three days later, on Friday night, Elliot is getting ready for his date at our apartment. Jade is fixing her hair in the bathroom, and Elliot comes into our room with his fourth shirt on. "Okay," he tells me, "this is the last one. Which one do you like the best?"

"I really like the green one—I think it was the second one you tried."

"Okay, thanks." And with that, he runs back into his room to change yet again.

I throw on a button-down that I know Jade loves (I'm doing everything I can to keep her in a good mood since I know she's dreading the night) and walk into our bathroom. "You look beautiful," I say, kissing her cheek. "Elliot just tried on four different shirts; I think he's really excited."

She laughs and finishes her hair before wrapping her arms around my torso. "I love this shirt on you." She pulls me closer by my collar to give me a kiss, and everything from her lips to her skin to her hair smells so good that it's overwhelming. "Hey," she says, releasing me to speak closely to my mouth, "since we're going to sit through a kid movie anyways...what do you say we recreate that Pirates date of ours?"

I kiss her again to answer her question, and suddenly I think I'm just as excited as Elliot is for this date. We're still making out in the bathroom when we hear a yell from his room. "It's seven thirty!" He announces, signaling to us that it's nearly time to leave.

We're in my car minutes later, and I think Elliot's nerves are going to blow him up. "Hey, El," I say, getting his attention from where he's sitting in the back seat.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be nervous. Remember what we talked about earlier?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good. You look awesome, and Jade and I will be there the whole time. And remember: she already said yes; she likes you. You're going to be great." Jade squeezes my hand from where she's holding it in between our seats.

"Elliot," she says, turning back to face him, "any girl would be crazy not to like you. You're like Beck; it's so hard to hate him that it's actually annoying." He laughs at this and nods his head, and I make a mental note to remind her of that compliment later on. "And you look _very_ handsome in that green shirt. It really brings out your eyes."

"Agreed. And it's a good thing, cause we're here," I say, parking in front of the red brick house. "Go for it, bud."

"Okay. I'll be right back." He hops out of the car, flowers in hand, and walks up to the front door of Annabel's house. Jade and I watch him ring the doorbell, where his date comes to the door and smiles shyly at him. Her mom, whom Jade had called to tell that we would be chaperoning, waves to us, and then the two seventh graders start back down the sidewalk to my car.

Elliot opens the door for her (he's rocking it so far) and they slide into the back seat. "Annabel, this is my sister Jade and her boyfriend Beck."

"Hi, Annabel," I say for the both of us, and I squeeze Jade's hand so that she knows to smile at the younger girl. For the remainder of the car ride, Jade and I fake small talk to provide white noise for the conversation happening in the back seat. Once we've pulled up to the movie theater, I take Jade's hand to walk with her a few steps behind the kids.

Elliot and I buy the tickets for some teen action movie, and we all get some popcorn and head into the theater. Jade and I wait to see where they sit, and then take our seats a few rows behind them. It takes us a minute to get into a comfortable position—our mess of limbs—and Jade turns her head up to kiss me.

I pull away just before the movie starts, and she looks confused. "Sorry," I whisper. "I just want to make sure that I can see them." Jade raises her eyebrows as I finally ensure that we have a good view of Elliot and Annabel. "What?" I ask innocently.

"You are totally middle-aged dad right now."

"Am not."

"You're actually taking the chaperone thing seriously!"

"Well, yeah," I admit, still whispering. "They're thirteen! Anything could happen!"

"Does this mean you won't be making out with me for the entirety of this boring ass movie?" I stutter to come up with an answer because, as fun as kissing Jade for an hour and a half sounds, I do feel somewhat responsible for keeping an eye on them. I guess she can sense my conflict because she kisses me then, really softly, and brings her hand up to hold my face. "Relax, Beck. They're going to be fine. It is pretty sexy to see you get all cute and protective, though."

We end up coming up with a game in which we watch the movie (my excuse to check on Elliot and Annabel) and then kiss every time a character dies. About halfway through, I notice that Annabel has set her hand freely on the side of her seat nearest to him. It takes Elliot a few minutes to catch on, but eventually he gets the courage to place his hand slowly into hers. "Jade," I whisper, nudging her to look in that direction. "Look how cute they are."

"You didn't hold _my_ hand on our first date," is all she says.

"Are you kidding?"

"_Shhhh_!" Comes a voice from behind me. I guess my whispering isn't quiet enough.

I lower my tone. "I didn't even watch the movie that we saw because I kept trying to focus on if you would uncross your arms or not, and you never did!"

"You could have put your arm around me."

"It was our first date; I was trying to be respectful," I defend myself.

"I thought you were a prude." My jaw drops open. "Don't worry, my bruised and swollen lips after our Pirates date cleared that up."

"I," I whisper, my lips pressed against her ear, "am most definitely not a prude." As I speak, my free hand wanders to rest right at the top of her inner thigh and she swats it away. (A smart move, because, unlike a few (okay, nine) dates in the past, we can't just leave in the middle of it to go home and have sex.)

The rest of the movie goes by quickly, and soon enough we're all back in the car. Elliot asks if we can get ice cream, which I see as an opportunity for him to get to spend more time with Annabel. Jade and I agree, and we end up at Sweet Ritual because they offer some vegan ice cream.

To my relief, there's almost no awkwardness whatsoever between them. All four of us enjoy our conversation over our sundaes, and then we're headed home by ten thirty. We drop Annabel off, and Elliot walks her to the door. "So," I say as soon as he's back in the car. "How was the first date?"

He sighs and leans his head back against the seat. "Awesome."

Jade and I both laugh. "Oh yeah?" I ask. "What was the best part?"

"I don't know. She's just so, so pretty. Did you guys see how pretty she is?"

My eyes widen as I immediately recognize Elliot's very familiar words. Jade, seeing my panic, squeezes my hand. "She was pretty," Jade answers him to ease the silence. "I'm glad you had fun, El."

When we're back to the apartment, all three of us start getting ready for bed. Just as Jade and I are pulling back our sheets, Elliot comes into our room in his pajamas to thank us for taking him. Sometimes it blows my mind how mature he is at his age. Once he's gone off to bed, we turn off the lights and leave a lamp on so that we can still see. We're both propped up on one elbow to face each other, and Jade traces her finger on my chest. "So what was that about in the car?" She asks. "You kind of freaked out for a second."

"Nah, it's nothing," I promise. I know that answer won't satisfy her, though, so I sigh and continue. "It was just weird. He...reminded me of myself."

"When you were thirteen?"

"Mhmm. When I first met you, all I could think about is how pretty you were. And then still, even after our first and second and fifteenth dates, my dad says I talked his ear off for hours about how pretty you were."

"So you've always been cheesy, huh?" Jade grins and, ironically, all I can think about is how pretty she is.

"I'm serious! Hearing Elliot talk about Annabel like that just... I dunno, it just made me realize that he's growing up. And also that he's got it bad for that girl."

She laughs. "He is growing up, isn't he?"

"It's weird, but it's a good weird."

"My mom would be so proud of him."

I fold my hand into Jade's and kiss hers gently. "She'd be proud of you, too. And of how well you two take care of each other—and of how well you take care of me." I push a piece of hair behind her ear and rub my thumb on her cheek. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

"And Jade?"

"Hmm?"

"You are still so, so pretty."


End file.
